Antilopen 1880 - 1932

Henri van der Stok made this print of antelopes on paper, and the mark making is so fascinating – you can see the hand of the artist, the movement from one antelope to another. It’s this kind of exposure of process that makes a piece really sing. Take a look at how the brown ink almost stains the paper, creating a lovely, soft texture. It gives the image a kind of warmth, doesn't it? The laid-back antelope seems to be just chilling, and the one standing is the lookout. If you look closely, you can see the tiny flecks of the paper coming through the ink, which lends a subtle, dappled effect to their forms. Notice how there's very little shading, but van der Stok still manages to give the antelopes such a sense of volume. This piece reminds me of Gauguin’s prints, and the way he used flat planes of color to depict form. Like Gauguin, van der Stok embraces the beauty of simplicity, showing us that sometimes less really is more. Ultimately, van der Stok’s antelopes invite us to appreciate art as a journey, not a destination.